Rowaelin United
by ashenreads
Summary: There's a lot of flirting going on in the sparring room. But will Rowan and Celaena go the extra mile and fully become carranam? A beginner's fanfic. Constructive criticism appreciated.
1. The Beginning of Training

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: A lot of you have been wondering why I use the name Celaena, and not Aelin. The answer is that I prefer the name Celaena. It gives her so much more character, in my opinion, and fanfiction is all about working with characters in new ways and making them your own, right? Anyways, I hope it doesn't bother anyone too much that I use her original name. Thanks for reading! ;)**

Celeana lay on the sofa, her head dangling off the edge as she snored over a book. A fire crackled in the hearth, smoking a little because she hadn't tended it for over a day. Smears of chocolate adorned her blouse, and a heavy blanket covered up dirty and torn pants.

Rowan surveyed her. She'd been like that for over a day.

It was time for action.

"Wake up," he called, yanking the blanket off her limp legs. She grunted and curled herself into a ball, mumbling, "Sod off."

"Not today, Celaena. You need to get your ass up and get back into shape." He grinned. Oh, a challenge would be fun.

She sat up, her hair sticking out in all directions as she stretched and yawned. "Rowan, I just saved Adarlan and Terrasen two days ago. Can't you give a girl some time to recover?"

"It's been three months, Celeana. I think that excuse is getting old."

"Damn," she said, and then glanced up at Rowan. "You know, I think Chaol or even Dorian would've let me sleep."

He resented that. As if he hadn't been caring for her devotedly over the past months. As if he hadn't lovingly carried her to the shower and cleaned her clothes and given her food and warmth. As if he hadn't sat in an armchair by the fire, night after night, guarding her. As if he hadn't worried constantly that his queen - no, the Queen of Terrasen - would never recover from her terrible experiences. As if he hadn't bloodied his knuckles every day, training and battling in the sparring room, trying to take his feelings for her out on a punching bag. As if he hadn't carefully sharpened and polished her swords and armor, dreaming about the day she'd be back and ready to train with him once more.

How dare she.

He bared his teeth, letting his canines show. "Go take a shower and be out in the fields in ten minutes, or I'll come back in here and bite you. Hard."

She rolled her eyes. "Testorone much?"

He banged out of the room and ran all the way down to the fields.

Catching his breath at the fence, he fought a battle within himself.

Her bra strap showing through her shirt had been so damn hot.

No. NO. He had to control himself. She had had such a difficult life already, and he didn't need to add more stress to it. She would let him know when the time came, if she wanted to... move on with their relationship.

But for now, he was her coach and friend. No more, no less.

If he occasionally scared her a little... well, he wasn't perfect.

"Rowan? Hey, dreamboy? Let's go!"

She ran past him, her legs fluid in liquid motion, her chest heaving with labored breaths, her eyes sparkling in the morning air.

Damn, this was going to be hard.

Damn damn damn damn damn.


	2. A Sudden Shift

Celaena knew, just from the way Rowan was watching her, that he wasn't thinking about her in a purely platonic way.

She giggled. He was trying so hard to hide it, too. She could see his mixed emotions written all over his face.

Awww... She'd have to help him soon. Or else he might just drive himself mad.

But first, they'd have a little fun.

After their run, she made her way to the sparring chambers with Rowan trailing behind. It had been too long since she'd held a good, strong sword in her hands. Picking up a gold-handled rapier, she tossed it back and forth for a while, feeling the power flood back into her hands and arms.

She strolled over to Rowan and nodded her head towards the weapons. Challenging him. She knew the proud bastard wouldn't turn it down.

But strangely enough, he shook his head.

"I'm not fighting you in that measly little animal form. Shift, Celaena, and then it'll be a fair match."

She pouted. "But I like my human body, Rowan."

"So do I. But I don't fight humans, I fight Fae."

So do I! He had admitted that he liked her body! Oh, this was just too good to pass up.

She turned her back to him, curling inward to channel her energy safely. A burning sensation spread from her lower back to her toes, as her legs thinned and lengthened, and her feet became small and sensitive. A milky, watery feeling trickled up to her head, and she felt her fingertips awaken with nerves, her ears meld into elven points, her teeth sharpen into canine daggers. Her entire brain seemed shifted. She could hear Rowan's breathing behind her with extreme acuteness.

She smiled, baring those pointed teeth. She had been called many things in the past: assassin, Fae, magic, fire-breathing bitch-queen. But goddamnit, she was back, and she was ready to fight.

Twisting around, she bowed low and grinned, noticing Rowan's adoring gaze at her beautiful Fae form. Tossing her rapier from hand to hand, she said, "Are you ready now, you pompous bastard?"

He started like a dog, and slowly drew his eyes up to hers.

"Yes."


	3. A Quick Battle

Drawing his sword, Rowan glanced at Celaena, who was prowling around him like a cat. Oh, he enjoyed her Fae form. Her eyes glimmered with delight, and she bared her canines, grinning wildly, as she took a tremendous leap into the air and launched into an attack.

He tossed his hair and grinned back at her. He was so ready.

They twisted and turned, fighting viciously. Celaena was lithe and agile, sliding under his giant swipes and dodging each massive kick. But Rowan had been training for months now, and he was a godly mass of muscle and power. Every fumble she made, from lack of bodily use, he took advantage of.

She feinted a parry, while scooping up a dagger that he had dropped, but when she took aim to throw, she hesitated a second too long. He barreled at her, throwing her down to the floor. He landed squarely on top of her, and aimed his bow at her throat.

Her eyes fell. "Damn it, I thought I could still beat you," she said. It was rare for Celaena to give up, and he felt rather awful.

"You just need some training, you lazy ass, and then perhaps it'll be a fairer game."

He lowered his bow, turning slightly to lay it on the floor, and that's when she pounced.

She slid out like water from underneath him, bringing up her pointed boot to land solidly in his face. Using the power of the kick, she propeled him onto his back, and he skidded down the length of the sparring room.

Springing up, she ran nimbly over to him, jumping down on top of his chest and pinning him to the ground. She drew her hunting knives and laid them down across his throat.

"Don't be such a pompous bastard, and maybe you'll win next time."

Speechless, he blinked back tears of surprise and pain. That kick to the face had really hurt.

She got up, and strode away to put the knives back. Then she curled up, shaking slightly, and slowly shifted back into a human.

She took one look back at him, gave a malicious smile, and left.


	4. Update

Hello, my wonderful readers! I just wanted to update you on the status of this fanfic. I KNOW that I have been a terrible writer, and haven't given you guys a new chapter for months, but you still seem to want more! So I've been writing away like mad, and I'm happy to announce that you should be getting a barrage of new chapters very soon. I have a whole storyline worked out, and I want to thank everyone for waiting so patiently! Feel free to leave any comments/questions in the reviews, as I just think of that as my chat room. :D


	5. Dressing Room

**Note:**

I've been away for an awfully long time, and I'm really sorry about that. I know this chapter's super short, but you guys wanted one really badly. Hope this satisfies for now, and look forward to more chapters soon.

The strings tightened, digging their way into Celaena's back. She gasped, her teeth clenching in annoyance as her maid laced up the corset. Confounded thing. It was unpractical and, in the wrong situation, could even put her in danger. Not to mention the aching pains it sent up her back. She straightened, trying to release the tension, and rolled her shoulders back.

The maid smiled apologetically at her, eyes flashing with worry. Celaena wasn't sure how she felt about this newfound respect from the servants. She had always commanded a certain fear from those beneath her, but it had been more of the scuttling away kind, and less of the caring kind.

But she supposed that she owed her subjects some appreciation. She forced a smile through the pain, and gave the maid a wink. Beaming shyly, the maid tied the last ribbon tightly, causing Celaena to gasp, and scuttled quietly out of the dressing room.

She strode over to the mirror, and observed her hourglass frame with pleasure, clutching the sides of her corsets in an effort to look thinner. A smile rode up on her lips. She was damn sexy, and she knew it. Rowan knew it, too, but it was less fun and more... torture for him. Bending down, she puckered up and rubbed a rich burgundy cosmetic onto her lips. She gave her reflection a wink, and ambled out of the dressing room, to pick out some shoes.

Dinners at the castle were a fresh hell. A room full of mustached men with bulging waistcoats who each thought that their duties were cause for her attention wasn't exactly her idea of a fun time. But she couldn't say she was disappointed. She'd never expected being queen would be a lark, and she didn't intend to start now. The people of Terrasen needed her, and whether she wanted to do the job or not wasn't important.

She sighed. It had been almost three months since she'd started her training sessions with Rowan, but they'd been left on hold in lieu of more pressing matters. Such as the state tax, for example. God, she'd never thought there would be a more boring subject after practicing the multiplication tables with Arobynn, but it turned out that there _was_ a first time for everything. Rowan had been gone for a few days, but he was expected to return tonight. And she couldn't wait to see him again.

Sucking in her stomach, she once again inspected herself, this time in the closet mirror. Her slinky black dress curved softly around her hips and breasts, and the hidden inlays of shaved silver twinkled when they caught the light. Her cleavage swelled as she took a deep breath, and she readjusted the neckline to sink just a little bit lower. She had no intention of being a prude tonight, since teasing Rowan was the only fun to be had.

A glossy pair of silk flats caught her eye, laying on the shoe racks. Slipping them on, she sighed in relief as the cool cloth kissed her skin. Weeks of wearing high heels had left its mark, and she couldn't give less of a fuck if she didn't seem as tall as usual tonight.

She walked over to the door. Her fingers grazed the doorknob, and she smiled, throwing it open. The dining room awaited.


End file.
